Petit TR: Petit le Mans

[BmillsSkier]

Lambo to enter the new Hypercar LMDh Prototype class in 2024.

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/mot...eVbOth49Aba2i8

This new class is bringing all the big boys off the sidelines. Confirmed manufacturers now include:

Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Alpine and Lambo.

I realize F1 is an entirely different animal, but IMSA/WEC is (has been IMO) shaping up to be the most exciting form of racing on the planet.

Welcome LMDh class; Rolex24 kicks off the season today!

https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/20...streaming/amp/

[BmillsSkier]

What do you get when you cross a F1 driver, a NASCAR champ and a GT driver and a wildassed idea?

A friggin actual NASCAR Camaro racing at Le Mans this year:

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/mot...YY3avEuI5vwKSg

While the sound of that V8 will be something to hear thundering down the Mulsanne straight, I'm confident there will be plenty of upturned noses in the paddock from the prancing horse crowd.

[BmillsSkier]

What a 12 Hours of Sebring.

FFS, the top class GTP prototype Porsche 963s were sitting 1 - 3 overall when the Wayne Taylor Racing Acura took all three of them out with 12 minutes left in a friggin 12 hour race trying to aggressively overtake the leading Porsche.

That’s a wreck that has at least 2 commas in the price tag.

Stoked the Pfaff “Plaid Porsche” 911 won GTD Pro after it wrecked in qualifying yesterday. Incredible effort.

[BmillsSkier]

IMSA sprint from the Great White North today; never ceases to amaze me at the list of just world class drivers these teams have. The GTP Hypercar class has been so much fun to watch this inaugural season.

[BmillsSkier]

Rolex24, let’s go!

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Rolex 24 just started. I love this weekend and can't be counted on much more than siting on the couch bouncing between NBA, NFL and IMSA.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Help me out Bmills, is there a new strategy of wrecking out in the first hour that I don't know about?

[BmillsSkier]

Help me out Bmills, is there a new strategy of wrecking out in the first hour that I don't know about?

Lol, there were some absolutely jacked drivers out there to start. Acting like it’s a 2-hour sprint. Kinda odd given the insane amount of talent out there; Indy 500 winners, F1 overall champions, Indycar champions, NASCAR drivers and of course the many factory drivers that run IMSA/WEC year round.

Really sucks for that #14 Lexus in GTD Pro, they were one of the favorites and got wrecked early. But… it’s a 24 hour race and they’re back out there. Same with the green GTD Lambo that absolutely got wrecked into the barrier.

The Hypercar GTP Class is incredible today. The Caddy’s have been so damned good, as have the Wayne Taylor Acura, but they’re both in the garage right now and the #6 and #7 factory 963 Porsches have been flying all race (hope they can keep it up!)

14:25 hours to go lol

[sb]

Go!

[BmillsSkier]

Final 2 hours of a 24 hour race are always the best.

Let’s go Porsche-Penske #7 and AO Racing #77!

[jono]

How long ago did they start requiring every car to have red, white and black colorways?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Holy shit this is fantastic racing

[BmillsSkier]

That last 15 minutes was edge of your seat racing! Holy shit!

Such a great win for Porsche and Penske. Team driver Neugarden is the reigning Indy 500 Champ and now Rolex24 Champ - nice year so far.

Big P2 for the 911 GTRawr Rexy too!

[BmillsSkier]

Rexy got that second gold tooth (for a class W) to show out ahead of this weekend’s race at the Glen. Hope some Mags get out to see some world class racing.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

When was the last time a class leader crashed out in their own pit?

[J. Barron DeJong]

wut?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

https://racer.com/2025/01/25/rolex-2...ror-costs-bmw/

[J. Barron DeJong]

So he just drove into the pit wall? Misjudged the parking spot like an old lady at the grocery store?

[BmillsSkier]

23:20hrs down, :40 to go in the Rolex24h of Dayton. Cleaned the track on a final yellow flag so should see multiple lanes of traffic heading through all the turns to the finish to earn the most coved prize in racing - the Rolex Daytona for each winning driver.

Porsche looking strong as new rope going 1-2 in top class GTP Hypercars, and a half second back in GTD Pro with the 911 GTRawr, “Rexy”.

[BmillsSkier]

Damnit. Just like that the BMW takes Rexy’s front clip off turning a .5 second difference between it and P1 into a drag anchor down to P6

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

BMW drivers driving like BMW drivers.

Fantastic ending to that race.

[BmillsSkier]

BMW drivers driving like BMW drivers.

Fantastic ending to that race.

Lol, yep.

Really wanted the factory Porsche teams to go 1-2 overall but 1-3 is pretty damned good.

The two factory Corvettes taking out the BMW in GTD Pro with 5mins to go looked like a coordinated hit or retribution for earlier on shenanigans.

Excellent race!

[ghosthop]

My brother usually works the pit at Road Atlanta for an amateur friend. Sounds like he enjoyed himself spectating instead of knocking out another last minute transmission rebuild. I would post some nice photos he sent of the Porsche livery but it’s TGR in 2025.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

The Corvette driver flying the bird at the BMW was all of us at one time or another

[BmillsSkier]

The Corvette driver flying the bird at the BMW was all of us at one time or another

Ha! Too true.

It’s worth checking out the IMSA IG page to see the Corvette drivers’ reaction to the two BMWs. He said he had no problem with the 1 car since he was still on the lead lap, and clean racing. He said the 43 BMW was out of contention (he was) and just out there to slow down the class leaders - something that’s not illegal or unheard of with 2-car teams. Problem was, the 43 was out there acting like an enforcer taking out side mirrors and tail clips. In other words, acting like a nascar driver (actually that’s an insult to the nascar drivers that were parts of teams today alongside top flight drivers from every series in Motorsport from F1 on down) on a track filled with precision drivers.